Surrendering my Love
by Sapphiregirl1226
Summary: A tragedy brings ET closer together. Will Ethan and Theresa give into their feelings?
1. I Need You

I Need You

Holding his hand close to her heart, Theresa sighs as she looks into Ethan's eyes hovering over her face. No one expected an earthquake and tsunami to hit the small town of Harmony, Maine. Everywhere around them, chaos ensued. The hospital was crowded, and Theresa had no idea what the status of her house was, or for that matter, the status of her children.

"I'm scared, Ethan." She said, closing her eyes to the pain shooting through her mid section.

"I know, Theresa. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." Ethan said, closing his hand firmly around Theresa's hand.

"Promise me you won't leave me alone, Ethan. Promise me." Theresa said drowsily.

Looking into her mocha brown eyes, Ethan sighed. "I won't leave you, Theresa."

Smiling slightly, Theresa looked at the only man she loved, and expressed her heart felt emotion. "I love you very much, Ethan."

Closing his eyes to the emotions running through him, Ethan caressed Theresa's face softly. "I love you, too."

"Thank you for staying with me."

_There's no where I'd rather be, Theresa._ Hearing that thought in his mind, Ethan shook his head slightly. _No, I can't think that. I'm married to Gwen. My life is with her now._

Clearing his throat, Ethan said, "Well, honestly, there was a time before we were going to be rescued that I -- I didn't know if you were going to make it, you know?"

Nodding carefully, Theresa opened her eyes again to look at the only man she loved. "Well, I had no choice but to make it. Little ethan and jane need me."

"I know they do. They need their mommy forever."

Holding his hand tightly, Theresa sighed. "You need me too, Ethan. You just don't know it."

_I know it more than you know, Theresa._ "Let's not go there right now, okay? You need to save your strength to get better."

Shaking her head, Theresa looks at Ethan again, willing him to see into her soul. "You love me, Ethan, and I know there's a part of you that thinks one day we will be together."

Closing his eyes, Ethan feels the heaviness of his wedding band on his left hand, and opens his eyes to stare at Theresa. "I'm not going to lie to you. Yes, I do, I love you very much, but we've been through this a million times, Theresa. Nothing's changed. You know I'm married, and I'm not going to leave her." Looking down at his wedding band, Ethan sighs, "I can't and I won't do it."

"I don't want…I don't want to argue right now, Ethan, I'm getting tired.."

"It's the medication they gave you to relax. Don't fight it, Theresa, just let it take you to sleep. You'll feel better when you wake up."

Sleepily, Theresa yawns. "You'll be here with me. I know you will." With that, Theresa gives up her fight to stay awake, and falls into a deep sleep.

Watching her sleep, Ethan caresses her face gently. "I wish that we could be together, Theresa, but circumstances won't allow that. We have to keep our love locked up in our hearts forever. I do love you. I do. I love you so much, it hurts. But, Gwen is my wife until death do us part. Maybe in another time, maybe in another place we'll be together. Until then, you need to take care of yourself. You have to stay strong for Little Ethan and Jane. They need you."

Kissing her hand one last time, Ethan gets up, and begins to find his way back to the mansion.

Coming up

Theresa dreams of a future with Ethan


	2. Dreams of the Future

Dreams of the Future

As Theresa succumbs to sleep, the noises around the hospital fade away as her dreams take over.

Theresa's Dream

_Lying naked next to her husband, Theresa smiles as the two join hands. "Do you know how much I love you?" Ethan asks, running his fingers through her hair, smiling as he watches her eyes meet his own._

"_I think you have a great way of showing it." Theresa says, causing them both to laugh._

"_What can I say, you make me feel---" _

"_Whoa, buddy, I don't know if I want to know this." Theresa says, as she covers Ethan's mouth with her hand._

_Moving her hand away, Ethan kisses her lips softly and chuckles. "You silly woman. I was going to say you make me feel complete and loved."_

"_You were not."_

"I swear I was!" Ethan says, holding up a Boy Scout honor signal.

_Looking into his eyes, Theresa sighs in happiness. "You're just lucky I love you."_

"That I am. And I love you. More than you will ever know."

End Dream

Opening her eyes slowly, Theresa looks next to her, finding no Ethan. "I know you love me, Ethan, and I know that one day, that dream I just had will come true. You will be mine all over again."

"Miss Lopez-Fitzgerald, how are you feeling?" A doctor asks, as he makes his way to Theresa's bed.

"Sore, but I'm alright. When can I go home, doctor?"

"Well, we want to keep you here for observation tonight. You have a nasty gash on your leg that we need to stitch up as best we can. Right now, the tourniquet that Mr. Winthrop made seems to be holding the blood in, which is a great sign."

_Ethan, you saved my life._ Theresa thought to herself before asking, "Will I be able to go home tomorrow, then?"

"Assuming you make it through the night with little to no pain, and that the stitches take hold on that gash, I say it's probable that you will go home tomorrow."

"Thank you very much, doctor."

"You're welcome."

Alone again, Theresa sighs. "I'm going to come home, and Ethan, we will be together. I pray we will."


	3. Coming Home

3—Coming Home

The next morning, Theresa wakes up hearing the beeps of the machines surrounding her.

"MM." She says, opening her eyes.

"Good morning, dear." A nurse says, as she checks Theresa's IV.

"Hi. Am I going home today?"

"According to the doctor, you will be yes. We will be taking you into the OR shortly to get your leg stitched up, though. But by tonight, you should be back in your own bed."

"The tsunami..did it cause a lot of damage in the town?"

"Workers have been going all night trying to rid the streets of the water the ocean brought to our town. They've been successful so far."

"That's good."

"Yes. Is there anyone you wish to contact to come and pick you up later?"

_Ethan. _Was the first thought in Theresa's mind. Shaking her head slightly, Theresa looked at the nurse. "I live with my mother, Pilar Lopez-Fitzgerald."

"Yes, I know her. A very dear woman. I will contact her once I am done checking your vitals."

"Thank you very much."

_Soon, I will be back home with my children. God, if only Ethan would be there with me._

"Someone called about you." The nurse says suddenly.

"Who?"

"He wouldn't say. He just called this morning and asked how you were doing. We told him you made it through the night, and that you were going to surgery to have your leg stitched up, and would probably be released later tonight. He seemed satisfied with those answers."

_Ethan. God, please let it have been Ethan that called for me._ "Thank you, again."

"You're welcome." Finished with her duties, the nurse leaves to tend to other patients, leaving Theresa with her thoughts.

_Ethan has to be the one that called me. No one else knew about my injuries. God, he does still love me. I knew it._

"Thank you, God, thank you."

Later on at Night

Slowly getting out of the car with her mother, Theresa looks at their house. "Thank god nothing happened to our home, mama."

"Yes, God was watching over us mi hija. Come, let's go see your babies."

Walking into the house, Theresa smiles as she sees Little Ethan play with his toys. "Hey there, little man."

Turning around, Little Ethan's face lights up. "Mommy!" Putting his toys down, he runs into his mommy's open arms.

"Oh, I missed you, baby."

"I was a good boy, mommy. Jane is okay too!"

"That's good, honey." Theresa says, holding her son close. Looking up at her mother, Theresa smiles. "Thank you for taking care of him, mama."

"It was a pleasure. Come, have some tea and something to eat."

In the Kitchen

As Theresa sits at the table, Pilar hands her a cup of tea, and then sits down, noticing the bandage on Theresa's leg. "What happened to your leg, mi hija?"

"I was stuck in a tree and was cut, Ethan helped me."

"Mi hija, you have to stay away from Ethan. He is a married man! You know that if Gwen and Rebecca catch you near him, they will do damage!"

"Mama, Ethan saved my life. He loves me, mama, he admitted it."

"Oh, Theresita, you are a dreamer. Ethan will never leave Gwen for you."

"I know that, mama."

"You have to concentrate on your health, and your children."

"Mama, you're telling me things I already know. But what you don't know is that Ethan and I grew closer through this experience. I don't know how to explain it, all I can say is that Ethan still loves me. He called the hospital this morning to find out how I was doing."

"You don't know it was him for sure."

"Mama, no one else knew I was in the hospital. I know in my heart it was Ethan, I just know it. Ethan still loves me."

Shaking her head, Pilar sighs. "I wish I knew what you felt for Ethan, mi hija."

_A love like nothing I have ever known_. Theresa says to herself.

Coming Up

Ethan reflects on the tsunami


	4. Thinking of Her

Thinking of Her

After finishing his coffee, Ethan sits at his desk in the living room, and while looking around to make sure that Gwen isn't near, takes out a picture of Theresa from his wallet, sighing as he reflects on his morning phone call

_Yes, I'm calling about Miss Lopez-Fitzgerald?_

She made it through the night. We are taking her to the OR this afternoon to repair the torn ligament in her leg, but she should be released later tonight.

_Thank you for the information_

Sighing, Ethan shakes his head. "I called the hospital because I had to make sure Theresa was alright. It was the right thing to do. Anyone else would have done it as well,"

_Or, did you call because you love only Theresa? _A voice whispered inside Ethan's head.

"I love Gwen. She is my wife."

_But you love Theresa more._

"Stop!"

Hearing a scream, Gwen runs to the living room. "Honey are you alright?"

Shaking his head, Ethan looks up at Gwen. "Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry, must have been dreaming of something weird."

"You sure you're alright, baby?" Gwen says, as she comes close to Ethan, rubbing his temples.

"Yeah, I'm fine." _God, I wish Theresa was touching me…stop that, this is your wife! Knock it off, Ethan!_

"Well, good, can't have the top lawyer in Harmony getting sick or anything." Gwen says, kissing Ethan's forehead. "Well, I'm off to get my facial."

"What about Jane?"

"The nanny has her. Ta ta honey!" With that, Gwen waves her fingers at Ethan, running off before he has a chance to comment.

"What the hell has my life come to? Long days at the office, nannies raising my daughter. What gives? I always said I would never have another person raise my child, and now they are. God, if only I made the right choice…." With that, Ethan takes out Theresa's picture again, sighing.

"I'll never stop loving you, Theresa, never."

Coming Up

Theresa thinks of what she's done to get Ethan

Ethan reflects on his choice!

Please R/R


	5. Alone with my Thoughts

Alone with My Thoughts

After tucking her kids into bed, Theresa goes to sit on her window seat, watching the moon shine its soft light over the town of Harmony. Hugging her legs to her chest, Theresa reflects back on the night of the tsunami…

Flashback

_Holding Ethan's hand in her own, Theresa looked into his beautiful blue eyes, needing to say what was in her heart, for fear she'd never get to tell him again._

"_I love you very much." She said, squeezing his hand slowly._

_Tucking a piece of her hair behind her hear, Ethan looked into the eyes of the only woman he really ever loved. "I love you, too." He said, kissing her forehead softly._

End flashback

"You say you love me, Ethan, but yet, you never chose to be with me. All I ever wanted was to be with you. I wanted no other man. From the moment I laid eyes on you, I just knew that you were my only."

"I've done so many crazy things to get you back, and they've all failed. Maybe…just maybe…it's time I let you go." Wiping a tear from her eye, Theresa goes to her desk, and pulls out a picture of her and Ethan with her children. "This should have been us all along, and yet, now I have to understand that we will never be. How can I let you go, knowing that you will forever hold my heart?"

Looking back out at the moon, Theresa sighs, hugging the picture of Ethan with her and the kids close to her heart. "We were fated, Ethan…but why doesn't fate let us be together?"

Looking back down at the picture, Theresa runs her finger over Ethan's face. "I'll never stop loving you, Ethan. You will forever be my one true love, and I hope and pray that someday, somehow, I'll find a way to get past loving you."

Putting the picture of her dream family away, Theresa sits back at her desk, and takes out a pen and paper.

"This is the only way I can get rid of you from my heart forever, and so be it, I will do it." Theresa says as she begins to write.

"Dear Ethan…"

Coming Up

Theresa writes a hard letter

Ethan thinks back on his choice!

Please R/R


	6. Confrontations of the Heart

6—Confrontations of the Heart

Pausing with her pen in mid air, Theresa sighs again. "This is the hardest thing I'm going to do, but I need to let go in order to move on with my life. God, please let me find the strength to move on."

Putting the pen back to the paper, Theresa lets her thoughts run with her:

_Dear Ethan,_

_All my life, I wished for someone to love me, someone to make me feel so alive and filled with happiness. No surprise that I let Fate find my way to you. When I met you, even though we got off on the wrong foot, I knew just by looking at your blue eyes that you were the one for me. I knew that I had to do whatever it took for me to get to show you that I was the woman you needed in your life._

_When you first told me you loved me, I felt so complete. I just knew that our love would get us through anything. When we made love on that beach for the first time, I felt myself fly away. I gave myself fully to you, knowing in return that I would have you in my life forever._

_However, my idea and your idea of forever apparently didn't match up, since we are both on different pages. You have your life with Gwen, and now I have my life with little Ethan and our daughter Jane. I can't keep living my life chasing after a dream that apparently will never be more than just that, a dream…._

Wiping a tear from her eye, Theresa sighs as she looks back out at the moon. Taking a deep breath, she turns back to her letter, and continues to write.

_My love for you is so full, so precious. No matter what happens in the future, I will forever love you. I'm finally letting you go and be happy with Gwen. You deserve to be happy, and I deserve more than what you can give me right now._

_I know that one day, we will be together. Maybe not in this life, but soon, my love, our love will overflow so fully that we will be giving into our passion, and be united the way our hearts and souls know._

_I wish you all the best, and know that you are always welcome in my home, and you are always welcomed into the life of our daughter. If only our dreams had become realities…_

_I will forever love you, Ethan._

_Theresa._

After signing her name, Theresa grabs a tissue from her desk, wiping the stray tears. Grabbing a picture of her and Ethan from their dating days, Theresa sighs. "I love you, Ethan, I will always love you."

Kissing his face on the picture, Theresa opened her desk drawer, and put Ethan's picture face down.

Clutching her hands together, Theresa sighs again, and then places the letter in an envelope. "Goodbye, Ethan, Goodbye."

Coming Up

Ethan thinks back on his choice

Ethan gets some advice

Please R/R


	7. What have I done?

7—What Have I Done?

Coming in from outside, Ethan sorts through the mail when a small envelope captures his attention. Staring at the envelope, Ethan thinks to himself _No return address, but the writing looks it be?_

With that, he takes the letter upstairs to his office. Locking the door, Ethan goes to sit at his desk, taking out the letter from the envelope, sighing when he sees the familiar handwriting stare back at him.

"Theresa." He whispers, running his finger over the ink on the page. Upon reading the words, however, his touch falters.

_Dear Ethan,_

_All my life, I wished for someone to love me, someone to make me feel so alive and filled with happiness. No surprise that I let Fate find my way to you. When I met you, even though we got off on the wrong foot, I knew just by looking at your blue eyes that you were the one for me. I knew that I had to do whatever it took for me to get to show you that I was the woman you needed in your life._

_When you first told me you loved me, I felt so complete. I just knew that our love would get us through anything. When we made love on that beach for the first time, I felt myself fly away. I gave myself fully to you, knowing in return that I would have you in my life forever._

_However, my idea and your idea of forever apparently didn't match up, since we are both on different pages. You have your life with Gwen, and now I have my life with little Ethan and our daughter Jane. I can't keep living my life chasing after a dream that apparently will never be more than just that, a dream…._

Wiping a tear from her eye, Theresa sighs as she looks back out at the moon. Taking a deep breath, she turns back to her letter, and continues to write.

_My love for you is so full, so precious. No matter what happens in the future, I will forever love you. I'm finally letting you go and be happy with Gwen. You deserve to be happy, and I deserve more than what you can give me right now._

_I know that one day, we will be together. Maybe not in this life, but soon, my love, our love will overflow so fully that we will be giving into our passion, and be united the way our hearts and souls know._

_I wish you all the best, and know that you are always welcome in my home, and you are always welcomed into the life of our daughter. If only our dreams had become realities…_

_I will forever love you, Ethan._

_Theresa._

Re-reading the letter, Ethan looks up and closes his eyes. _God, what have I done?_ Folding the letter slowly, Ethan places it into his pocket, and takes out his wallet in the process to look at a picture of him and Theresa from their dating days.

"How can you give up on me so quickly, Theresa?" He says into the picture.

_You left her no choice, you idiot!_ A voice inside his head screams.

"I had to marry Gwen!"

_No, you did what you thought was the right thing. Maybe the right thing was to marry Theresa all this time. You KNEW you wanted her to be your wife…_

As if on cue, Ethan flashes back to the biggest confession of his life….

Flashback

"_Who were you going to ask to marry you that night at the mansion?" Theresa asked, as she watched the only man she loved run his fingers nervously through his hair._

"_It's not important now."_

"Are you kidding me? This is the most important question I could ask you. It's a simple answer. Just tell me who your heart of hearts screamed out for you to marry. Was it me, or Gwen?"

_As if on cue, Ethan blinked, the memories of his time with Theresa fresh at the front of his mind. Shaking his head slightly, Ethan turned and took Theresa's hand in his own, feeling her warmth seep into his body._

"_You." Clearing his throat, Ethan sighed. "I was going to ask you to marry me." Watching the stunned look on Theresa's face, Ethan continued. "But it wasn't meant to be. I chose Gwen. I have to be with her."_

Present

"I did….I do want Theresa to be my wife….I love her so much….how could I have ruined three lives by my choice? All I wanted was to do the right thing."

_What if the right thing all this time was to have married Theresa?_

"This is crazy, I won't get any answers talking to myself." With that, Ethan picks up the phone.

"Dad? Can I come over, I need your help."

Coming Up

Ethan and Sam talk!

Will Ethan find the happiness he deserves?

Please R/R


	8. Getting Advice

8—Getting Advice

After hanging up the phone with Sam, Ethan sighs. "If anyone knows anything about what I am going through, it would be dad." Getting his jacket and keys, Ethan leaves the mansion, and heads to the Bennett House

Bennett House

"Son, you sounded worried on the phone, what's going on?" Sam says as he ushers Ethan into the house.

"Dad, I have so many problems in my life right now, it's not even funny."

"Is it Gwen? The baby? Are they alright?"

"Yes, yes, they're fine. It's me, dad, I'm the one with a problem." Ethan says as he sits on the couch, running his hands through his hair.

"Well, I hope by coming to me that I can help you. Tell me what's going on, son."

Looking at his father, Ethan sighs again. "Can I ask you something first?"

"Of course."

"You were married to Grace, then mom came back in the picture when Grace left. Did you ever….I mean…did you ever wonder if maybe you should have been with Mom all the time?"

Looking at his son, Sam nods. "Yes, son. Ivy is my first love, and always will be. When we started a new relationship, I knew deep in my heart, that she was the only woman I could be with."

"But what about all the lies she told to get you back to her?"

"When you're in love, Ethan, you learn to forgive and forget."

"I have forgotten…and forgiven…"

"Are we talking about you now?"

"Yeah. Dad, I love Theresa. I've always loved Theresa. The tsunami brought us closer together than I ever thought possible. How is it that I could have screwed up my life so badly?"

"You make mistakes, Ethan, we all do. No one is perfect."

"I know, dad."

"Son, let me ask you something. What makes you love Theresa?"

Smiling at the thought of her, Ethan looks at his father. "Her carefree nature, her love of life, her passion for all that she does, her motherly touch and love for Little Ethan and Jane. Her caring sweet side, and her stubbornness."

"Okay, and what do you love about Gwen?"

Stopping short, Ethan stutters. "I…I…" Taking a deep breath, Ethan tries again. "Gwen is passionate about real issues, she likes the society life, I can have a meaningful conversation with her."

"Okay, let me ask you this, Ethan. Is having a meaningful conversation more important than passion?"

Sighing, Ethan runs his fingers through his hair. "I don't know anymore, dad."

"Ethan, who do you want to be with for the rest of your life? And don't think about it, but say the first woman that comes to mind."

"But, dad, I'm…"

"No, son, just answer my question. Who do you want to be with. Gwen or Theresa?"

"Oh, God."

Coming Up

Ethan makes a hard realization

Please R/R


	9. Never Giving Up

9--Never Giving Up

"Oh, God, what have I done?" Ethan says to himself out loud, realizing what's really in his heart."

"Ethan, I'll ask this again. Who do you want to be with, Theresa or Gwen?" Sam says, looking intently at his son.

"Dad, I.."

"No, no excuses. Say what's in your heart. Who do you want to be with, Ethan? Gwen, or Theresa?"

Closing his eyes, Ethan sighs and whispers. "Theresa. It's always been Theresa."

Putting a hand on his son's shoulder, Sam shakes Ethan slightly. "Sometimes, Ethan, you can't always do the honorable thing."

"But, dad, I wanted to follow your example…"

"No. My life is not one to be followed. I let lies and deceit ruin the first chance I had with your mother. While I don't regret my life with Grace because of our children, I am eternally grateful that God gave me a second chance with your mother."

"But..."

"No buts, Ethan. No one is perfect, son. We all make mistakes. Apparently, you and I are a lot alike in that we don't want to hurt the real women we love, but we end up doing just that."

"Dad, what should I do?"

"Follow your heart, Ethan. Be with the woman you want to spend the rest of your life with."

With that advice, Ethan gets up, hugs his father, and then walks out of the house.

"I can't live without you, Theresa, now I just need to figure out what to do next."

Later on in the day

After taking his stuff out of the mansion, Ethan drives in his car, reflecting on the confrontation with Gwen…

Flashback

_Walking into the mansion, Ethan sighed as he heard the voices of his wife and mother-in-law in the living room…_

'_I'm telling you Gwen, your husband is with that little tart Tacosita!'_

'_Mother, just stop, alright? There's no way that Ethan was with Theresa.'_

'_Gwen, I'm telling you we have to keep making sure that Ethan stays far away from that tramp! She'll get her claws into him so fast.'_

'_Thank you, mother, I'm well aware of that. That's why we sent the tabloid out, so that Ethan wouldn't marry Theresa. That's why I've done EVERYTHING in my power to get Ethan to stay with me in the mansion. I love living the high life, just like you taught me.'_

_Having heard enough, Ethan storms into the living room, throwing his wedding band to the ground. "You are nothing but a lowlife scum and I'm sorry I EVER married you!"_

"_Ethan, what did you hear?"_

"Enough to know that my marriage has been a lie from the start! How could you, Gwen? How could you let jealousy for Theresa empower your choices? How could you lead me on this way? Who the hell are you Gwen?'

'_I'm the woman you married! I'm the woman you love! Why does it always have to be about Theresa with you!'_

_Having heard enough, Ethan yells back. "BECAUSE THERESA IS THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!"_

End flashback

"I should have followed my heart all along. Theresa is the love of my life, and I need to be with her….only her…"

Staring at his now bare left ring finger, Ethan smiles slightly. "One day, my love, we will be husband and wife…the way we planned all along…"

Grabbing his cell phone, Ethan dials Theresa's number. "Theresa, don't say anything, just please meet me at the park." Not letting her answer, Ethan hangs up the phone and prays. _Please, God, let this work…_

Coming Up

Ethan and Theresa meet up!


	10. Open Arms to Love

10---Open Arms to Love

As he nears the park, Ethan prays that things will work out. _God, I love Theresa. I have always loved Theresa. Please, let us talk through things and let us be the family we were meant to be._

Parking his car, Ethan gets out and instinctively begins to walk to the tree where he and Theresa carved their initials.

As he gets closer, he sees a figure sitting beneath the tree, running her hands over the oak base.

"Theresa." He whispers softly, daring her in his head to look at him.

Feeling a whispered caress run over her body, Theresa sighs, knowing Ethan is in reach. Turning around slowly, she comes face to face with the only man she loves.

"Ethan."

"Hello, Theresa."

"You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, very much." Taking a breath, Ethan stares into Theresa's eyes, and then looks down at her leg. "How is your leg?"

"It's sore, but the doctor feels that the tourniquet you made saved my life, so I guess it's only right to thank you for that."

"I did what I had to do. I couldn't let you go."

Turning away, Theresa sighs. "Amazing you say that when you've had no problem letting me go so many times already in life."

"I know, and I regret each and every time I have pushed you away."

"And it took you now to realize that?" Theresa says skeptically.

"Theresa, what do you want me to say? I know I've been the worst kind of jerk to you. I've used you, and yet, I've loved you from afar. I don't know how else to say that I want you, that I'll always want you. You are a part of my body, you are a part of my soul, and most of all, you're the owner of my heart."

"Did you forget about Gwen? Your wife? The woman you claim to love?"

Sighing, Ethan closes his eyes to the pain enclosing around his heart at his wife's deceit, and then opens them to look at Theresa. "Sometimes, people aren't what they appear to be."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Taking her hand carefully into his, Ethan looks into Theresa's eyes, and bares his soul. "My entire….my marriage….has been based on a lie."

"What are you talking about?"

"When I went home…I heard Gwen and Rebecca…they were talking about you…and me…wondering where I was…then…" Turning away, Ethan takes a deep breath, feeling the hurt rush back into him.

Caressing his hands slowly, Theresa wills Ethan to look back at her with her touch. "Tell me." She whispers softly.

"Gwen and Rebecca sent the tabloid. Gwen said to her mother that she thought by sending the tabloid out, then that would guarantee that I would be hers forever, leaving you out in the cold."

Feeling her eyes widen Theresa leans closer to Ethan. "Ethan…I'm…so sorry…I can't believe…"

"I know. I couldn't believe it either, but then when I thought about it, it made sense. Gwen couldn't believe that I chose you first at Midnight Mass. So, in her mind, she figured she had to do whatever it took to get me back to her. Claiming you were the one that sent the tabloid was the key."

Sighing, Theresa looks at Ethan. "I knew she always wanted you back…I just didn't know to what lengths she'd go to do it."

Caressing her cheek gently, Ethan moves Theresa's face so it is staring at him. "I have no right to ask you this, but I will anyway…"

"Ask me what?"

"Theresa…."

Coming Up

Ethan asks an important question

Please R/R


	11. Love Forever and Always

Love Forever and Always

"Yes, Ethan?"

"Can you ever forgive me for all the pain I've put you through?" Ethan asks, as he caresses Theresa's cheek. "I know I have no right to ask you that, but it took me this long to finally figure my life out. I know what I want, Theresa, and that's you. You and our children."

Stunned, Theresa shakes her head slightly. "But, little Ethan…"

"Even though he may not biologically be mine, I feel in my heart that he is my boy. He was from the moment we delivered him. Theresa, I know our life up to this point wasn't easy, but I'm asking you now, to take a chance on me, to let me prove to you everyday of the rest of my life how much I want you with me, now and forever."

Smiling slowly, Theresa turns her head, catching the gleam of the sun highlight the small heart carved on the tree with their initials. Running her fingers slowly over the carving, Theresa whispers. "Do you remember when we did this?"

Turning his head, Ethan smiles as he too, ran his hand over the carving. "Yes. It was after our first time. We knew we'd be together forever."

"And now, here we are, back at this tree. Maybe it's Fate."

Turning to face his only love, Ethan smiles. "You've made me a believer in fate, you know."

"I have?"

"Yes. Because without Fate, I wouldn't have had the courage to leave my life at the mansion. Without Fate, I wouldn't be here right now, wanting you with a fierceness I can't begin to describe. Without Fate, I wouldn't be able to love you wholly, completely. I want another chance with you, Theresa. I want to spend the rest of my life loving only one woman…you. Can you ever forgive me for all the hurt I've put you through?"

"I think it's only fair we forgive each other, because we've both been hurt by each other's actions. Maybe now, our relationship can begin on a clean slate, with open honesty, respect, and trust."

"I like that idea. I love you, Theresa, and I will forever love you until the day I die."

"And I love you, Ethan. Forever and always."

A few years later

Pulling into the garage of their new house, Theresa smiles as she gets the grocery bags out from the trunk. "Who would have thought that my life would have turned out for the better?" She said to herself, as she made her way to the front door, smiling when she sees the figure standing in front of the opened door.

"Well, hello, gorgeous, let me help you with those." Her husband said as he took the grocery bags from Theresa's hands, allowing her to entire the house in one peace.

"Mama! Mama!" Her little 5 year old daughter said, as she ran from the living room into her mother's open arms.

"Hello, precious." Theresa said, scooping her daughter up into her arms, and carrying her to the kitchen.

"Where is your brother?"

"He's playing upstairs."

Setting her daughter on top of the kitchen chair, Theresa goes to help her husband put away the remaining groceries. "And just how are you, my handsome husband?"

Winking at his wife, Ethan smiles. "Simply wonderful."

"Good to know."

Later in the day

After sharing a meal with their family, Theresa and Ethan tucked their children into bed, and then made their way to their own room, lying side by side next to each other.

"Do you know how much I love you, Mrs. Winthrop?"

"Hmm. I think I do, Mr. Winthrop, but feel free to demonstrate as many times as needed."

Winking, Ethan moves closer to Theresa, kissing her neck slowly, while rubbing his hands all over her body.

"You are my life…my love…my soul, Theresa. I am complete when I'm with you." Ethan says as he looks deeply into Theresa's eyes.

Giving into their passion, Ethan and Theresa make the most perfect love two people can share, and then spend the night in each other's arms, basking in their love.

"I love you, Theresa." Ethan says, kissing her head softly before closing his eyes to sleep.

"And I love you, Ethan. Forever." Theresa replies, feeling Ethan entwine their fingers together, and smiling as she lets sleep take over her body.

The End


End file.
